Milk bottle top lock



April 16,1935. r

B. P. YOUMANS MILK BOTTLE TOP Lock yFiled Dec. 11, 1953 lnventor Patented Apr; 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MILK BOTTLE '1:01) LOCK Benjamin P. Youmans, vVancouver, Wash.v y l Application December 11, 1933, Serial No. 701,845

` s Claims. (C1. 23e-41) It' is the almost Ainvariable practicaat this time, to dispense lactic uids in. standardized Acontainers or receptacles, usually fofrmedof glass,

and commonly referred toas milk bottles. mThe 5 mouths of theseV bottles, regardless of theiry ca.

.,pacities, are uniform in size, usually being characterized by a-tapering or conical neck portion terminating: in a transversely rounded flange which defines such mouth. This uniformity is The presentinvention makes use of the uniformity in milk bottle mouths'above mentioned, and the purpose of theV invention is to prevent the Vunauthorized removal or pilferingI of milk ldelivered in bottles. y To this end the inventionY relatesto a holder in ywhich the upper neck portion of a.' milkvbottle may be secured. The bottle Whenfrso'secured in the holde'rvis r'locked against removal and only those possessing the proper key canunlockthe controlling lock which will permit the release -of the bottle.v The holder is designed to lbe securely mounted to an upright `support, 'such asa Wall or vthe side of a house,- and the means for so mounting 1are located within the y holder sovthat when a` bottle is secured-therein it is practically impossible to remove the holder from its support.

The holder is so constructed lthat it entirely conceals the mouthof a bottle; thus not only preventing the unauthorized removal of milk from the bottle, but, in addition', protecting Ythe botl tle and its contents from the weather'.l

The invention embodies a small box like'casing,

the rear of whichV is securely fastened-,to aL wall or other vertical support.

The front of the neck portion of a milk bottle justrbelowrits mouth y flange so that when the front is closed the flange rests uponthe bottom portions' deningthecut out regions. A lock isincorporated in the casing locking the closure or gate thereby preventing the removal, except by'thosewho have an the casing.

authorized key tothe lock, of thek bottle which is suspended by its neck or vmouth flange ,from VThe casing entirely encloses the mouth portion of theY bottle Ythus ypreventing yunauthorized removal of its contents, as well as protecting it from the elements.

1n they drawingdescription shall warrant.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention which is shown supporting a milk bottle.A Figure 2 is anelevation of the invention. Figure 3 is the sectional view indicated by section line 3-3 of FigureAY 2.

Figure 4. is the sectional view indicated by section line '4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is the sectional view indicated by section line 5-`5 of Figure 4L Figure 6 is a plan View with portions broken away, parts in section, and the closure or gate thereof partially opened.

Y The invention in its entirety consists of a casing or housing I which is formed ofbottom 2, sides 3, 3, rear wall .4 and top 5. Topv 5 projects beyond the bottomand. sides and -is rounded or Ycurved at its front end as shown at-I. From the -foregoing it will be seen that the front portion of the casing is open. vFor this ispro-vided a gate, closure, swinging or pivoted gripping member, or clamping member 1. Member 'I has one end 'I' pivotally connected to pin 8.' Pin has its ends firmly seated in the top and bottom members '5 and 2. Member 1 is curved to conform to the curvaturevof the end of top 5. VThe unpivoted end 1" of member 'I when the latter is Y closed fits inside the side' and is provided with Y a catch 9 which is. engaged by the catch'II) of the'latch member I.I, as shown in Figure 5, thereby preventing member 'I'from being opened.

`Member I has attached to or continuing from its -lower'edge a bottom portion 2 supplementing the bottom 2. Both 2 and 2' constitute the bottom of the casing or housing, and where they meet they` are rounded out or have curved indentationsIZ'and I2 respectively, Y and together providing a circular aperture I3 through the. bot- .".tom of thecasing. The edgesY of portions'.'

and 2 dening the aperture ISarecurved downwardly to provide a strengthening flange as sho-Wn' at I4. Theforegoing constitutes'the casing or housing proper, whichmay hereafter be referred to in its entirety as a clamp, holder, support, bracket, grip, protector and'lo'cking. device, together with such modifying adjectives as this Aperture I3 has'a transversewidth suicient to accommodate that portion of a milk bottle neck whichis located` immediately below the mouth flange or bead, such bead or flange rest.

ingupon the embracing portions of the bottom 2, 2', This is shown in Figure 3 illustrating an outline bottle I5. havingithe required flange I6 which is seatedas aforesaid. `Casing' I isprovided with a number of 'screw holesI'I in *the*A rear wall in which are inserted screws I8 which secure the casing to a wall or vertical support I9, the head of the screws being inside the casing where they are protected from tampering. The casing may be mounted to a vertical support or Wall I 9 in an elevated position in which event the bottle I will hang suspended by its bead or ila-nge I6 from the member I, as illustrated in Figure 1. Casing I is suiiiciently large to entirely enclose the mouth portionv I5 of bottle.l,5thereby preventing unauthorized Yremoval of the contents of such bottle as well as preventing the removal of the bottle itself. The latter being madezoertain by a locking mechanism incorporated in the casing which prohibits the opening offgate 'I except by those possessingthe properkey to the control lock of the locking mechanism.

The locking mechanism referredftoffnot-fincluding the mechanism of a standardtype .of control locl; used in conjunction with said mechanism, consists of the heretofore referred; to` latch II. Latch II 'is an L-shaped .memberhaving two .angularlypositioned legs IIZand II". At the'junction of the two legs is a. downwardly directed pin 2D seating in a suitable .aperture in the-'bottom 2 and v.upon-which the latch II pivots thereby permitting catch 9 to fengageor `dis- --engage catch III accordingly `as leg'. I I is moved to or from wall 3'. However, in order that .there will be -a constant endeavor for the catch IB to engage catch -r9 leg. I I' mustv beconstantly urged toward Wall 3', andL this constanturge is provided by Ameans of la leaf spring12I ,which has its one end 2 I secured to theend 41by means of a screw 22 and lits other end;2| urged. outwardly and in ,engagement-with'leg II".-of"\latch II, thus in turn urging legII toward sidef3.

. In order-to control the latch IIxin order to. produce a disengagement oiizcatchesigland II), a control lock'23 is provided. .This consistsiof, a cylindrical lock case 24 which seatsninsan aperture provided thercforin'side 3'where,;it.is,rheld stationary by ,a screwzlSiwvhich .threads :through stop 26 and intdthe casing24. The.'location.of crevv` 2 5 is such .that zit can-only. be` threaded.- .or unthreadedthrough the. frontof' the casingzwh'en lclosure 'I is open. :Stopi v26, Aas :Willbe seen, projects'inwardly from sidef3'. '.Lock`23 .is Vprovided with va barrel 2l' ,which .-carries. Ionits innere end .a dog 28. It may againfbe; statedthat llock'1323 is a standardior stock-.lockf-andmay be considlered as representing anytype .of controlormaster lock suitable for the "hereinzdescribedpurpose.

Barrel 2l isrotated'by va suitable zkeyLZElxand f lsuch master keys asV may be required-by..a,.dis

tribution'systemmaking use of; the bottle-holder.

Viewing Figure 3,'whenzbarrelz 21 iszrotated lby .key 29 clockwise,v dog 28 will engage` legi I I whichV houses, or (elsewhere .whereverrindividual delivery-is required, :as itifwillcpractically. velix'ninate the `danger ofatheft .ofi th'exmilkpafter. ithasbeen 1 delivered. lIn .this .connection'it :maybe assumed that the dealer or deliverer provides his customers with a locking holder and a key therefor. The holder is mounted adjacent the service o1' delivery door, as, for instance, to the door frame or adjacent Wall by means of the screws I8 as heretofore set forth. The key provided the patron will unlock his bottle holder and none other. The deliveryman is provided with a master key which will master the locks on the Vholders inhis .particular route,` therebyallowing lhim to unlock -each holder and exchange the bottles. Practically the only unauthorized way Qin which the filled bottles may be removed from a'holder is by picking the control lock, and this canine-practically eliminated by using high grade locks. ,..Removalof the holder from the wall or support will not give access to the contents of thezfbottle for thereason that its holder casing entirely surrounds the bottle mouth, and to endeavor to break the casing would in all probability :destroy athegbottgle aa-nd, its contents. .TIT-hereforefit Willrbe' seenthatdhe holder provides a A,substantial :safeguard 4for :bottles ian'd .their scontents. c 1, Y; A

Havingdescribedfmyzzinventionsfl claim--A 1. A; fholder Afor m-llki;bottles`- :having @a g mouth :beadgor f,flange^embodying:5.21d nmember :havins a v110D.'bottom.-1Dortion,vrear'rand sidez-wallaagpivotedclosure 'closing -f-the affrontwof f said member,

said closure:having1a,xbottonrportion.supplernent.`

ing the first fmentionedgbottom. portion,v said member yha-ving -,prdvision "forsecuring, its `rear -wall to a fstationarywsupport, saidfbottomyportions having complementary @out rout portions forming fan iaperture ,adapted :toe-embrace tha t` portion of a--mil k-ibottle immedatelyybeneath the mouth.bead :in Order Ythat such fbead seats Aupon' the confining bottom portionafanfL-shaped latch mounted in said member: .and .having @one leg-v engaging saidclosureand securing it :against opening, a'fcontrol lock amounted through ;.one iside. of said member,z a .dog-,operated-byfsaidflock engaging-the other-.leg :off-said .latchpand said dog Vrwhen `operatingffmoving said l,second leg Vtthereby compelling the first leg to move Vout vof VTengagement with lfsaid .closure and vpermitting the Aclosure to. be openedsa-nd-.the` :bottle: released. 2. A holder for milk bottleshavingea mouth bead yor Hanger-embodying .a mem-beri-fhaving a v .oted iclosure closing the frontv ofY said Mmember,

-sa-id closure having a :bottom fportionfsuppleinenting theyrst mentionedfbottom portion, said member :having provision for bei-ngisecured to fa support, said bottom portions having complementary indentations #adapted y to fernbrace that -g-portion of `a lmilk Efbottle immediately` ibeneathvr the l mouth fbead r order: that 4- such;l bead -seats uponthe surrounding; bottom,portions,. an

. Lsshapedlatch formed' of y twoangularly disposed leg fmembersrpositioned Wit-hin saidf member,

gs'aid. latch having a=zpin projecting downwardly in an: v*aperture ;provided. therefor `:in the .rst mentioned. bottom portion, .a-fconti'ol lock Vmounted through. ones'ide'an'dimmediately,above said latchand maintaining said`pin in its aperture, one leg of said latch engaging saidclosureland securing'it againstgopening, a dog operated Vby `said lock engaging "the other'leg.ofsajdlatch Asaid dog'When.operating moving [said second legthereby compelling the'iirstleg. to move out of engagementvvvithn said closure and permitting the-'fclosure-to be opened and 'the "bottle released.

3. A holder for-*milk bottl'eshavingarmouth bead or flange embodying 'a'f-member-having ai.

top, bottom portion, rear and side Walls, a pivoted closure closing the front of said member, said closure having a bottom portion supplementing the rst mentioned bottom portion, said member having 'provision for being secured to a support, said bottom portions having complementary indentations adapted to embrace that portion of a milk bottle immediately beneath the mouth bead in order that such bead seats upon the surrounding bottom portions, an L-shaped latch formed of two angularly disposed leg members positioned within said member, said latch having a pin projecting downwardly in an aperture provided therefor in said bottom portion, a control lock mounted through one side and immediately above said latch and maintaining said pin in its aperture, a stop projecting` inwardly in said member, a screw threaded therethrough and into said lock and operating to retain said lock in its seat, one leg of said latch engagingsaid closure and securing it against opening,-a dog operated by said lock engaging the other leg of said latch, and said dog when operating moving said second leg thereby compelling the rst leg to move out of engagement with said closure and permitting the closure to be opened and the bottle released.

BENJAMIN P. YOUMANS. 

